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Future of IT in Kenya
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ChessMaster
#1 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 1:41:39 PM
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What do you think the future of IT in Kenya will be and what do we need to do to get there? For example I dont think online shopping in Kenya for material goods will work for the masses without a good distribution system to support it. Though we could always leverage boda bodas in some way to suppliment there income. Tell me what people,is it hype or will IT be an important industry for Kenya in the near future?
Uncertainty is certain.Let go
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wilyum
#2 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 1:51:18 PM
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cloud
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ChessMaster
#3 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 1:56:07 PM
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Thanx wilyum. Do you think Kenyans will accept being away from their data?
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wanyee
#4 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 2:01:30 PM
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Location: Mbui-Nzau, Kikumbulyu
an EA knowledge Management Super Corridor modeled along Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) http://www.mscmalaysia.my/ utilizing the growing pool IT trained youngsters.
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richdad
#5 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 2:05:07 PM
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Location: Nairobi
I believe the Internet usage in Kenya in quite low. I'd rather think of being a player in the world stage rather than going back to my remote county.

Kenya is well positioned to offer outsourcing services. Software development, content creation, call centers and such. The sector has done well in India. I feel Kenya is better positioned considering English(Internet language) is well spoken and understood in Kenya than India/Pakistan.

Why do local content when you can earn more as a ghost writer? Why make Apps for Kenyans who need free stuff when you can do so targeting the world with kids on Daddy's credit card smile

I visited the ICT section in the just concluded Nairobi ASK Show and the Konza stuff is their main idea. Actually the only idea...

All IT persons should think globally and read the book by one Friedman "The world is flat"
Keep it simple
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ChessMaster
#6 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 2:19:38 PM
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Richdad to some extent I think you're right. Kenya isn't at world level yet but five years from now you can't really tell where it will be. I say this because in 2000 no one would have imagined the growth of the mobile sector by 2005. I used to think people would have a difficult time with mobile phones but people learn fast.I agree with you especially IT you've got to benchmark yourself against the best in the world but for IT to grow in Kenya we have to do it ourselves. The government is just supposed to be a facilitator.

Wanyee - What do you mean by knowledge management super corridor?
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sitaki.kujulikana
#7 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 2:46:30 PM
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IT is very broad, and I think some areas have come of age e.g the mobile sector (SMS), I don't think any big company will be outsourcing their IT to kenya any time soon - there are very few specialists
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ChessMaster
#8 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 3:00:12 PM
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Very few specialists indeed but that can change easily. Mobile sector I want to see how M-commerce and location based services will develop in Kenya.I think that has potential with the current technology we have.
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wanyee
#9 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 3:14:26 PM
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I meant an intentional drive(government,private or public) to create intra-connectected ecosystem of hubs/centers/indivduals both physical and virtual using High speed link connectivity within and not necessarily with the outside world where knowledge engineering and technologies are researched and developed in real life local and international scenarios.
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ChessMaster
#10 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 3:18:55 PM
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That sounds like a big project
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wanyee
#11 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 3:26:53 PM
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not really , the fundamentals are there: its just momentum.
@wilyum AI?Expert Systems?
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ChessMaster
#12 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 3:37:30 PM
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Wanyee that would be an initiative I would like to see. I think anything related to knowledge engineering in Africa will have profound effects if its applications can spread down to the common man.
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webish
#13 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 4:54:07 PM
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In My honest opinion. There's very huge Opportunity for IT in Kenya. For Example, if we just have a peaceful election, you will see all the Global Companies that shall set up shop here. Multi-Billion Projects in all industries will be a very common thing. All these projects need IT support.

Where I fault us, is the Level of Expertise. Still very Low. but growing steadily. Our attitude though, is fantastic. I follow lot's of IT-Savvy nations, and all I can say is that, we're just getting started. This is the industry to be IN, at least what I think.

Life is joy, death is peace, but the transition is very difficult.
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wanyee
#14 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 5:14:52 PM
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@webish i concur, but the level of expertise is not as critical ..it is the environment that is prime for innovation. The problems in Kenya are unique and may give paths to insights on elements not necessarily followed by other more developed parts of the globe. It is this uniqueness that can be niche' and give local chaps an edge against other global products and services i.e where local chaps will be the trend setters and expats as well with a lot of ease.
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eboomerang
#15 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 5:39:43 PM
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First, it depends so much on what you call "IT" and from which perspective you are viewing things.

From an individual perspective yes there will be small jobs in every other corner since all companies will at the very least have a website and database etc. However, if you look at the national level and the global environment, we do not have an industry.

Call centers etc are support centers and not functional product/service companies.

What you see in Kenya currently are mainly single handed efforts by individuals who are self taught at home etc who form a small developer community.

If we are to create an industry, the government needs to get it right and it could take many years to form it. Right now we have young people with the right mindset and motivation but there is no environment and neither are they fully equipped.

So for us to even talk of a possible future in the IT industry, the government will have to get the industry creation fundamentals right and then think of how to protect it's future.
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wanyee
#16 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 5:59:49 PM
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eboomerang wrote:


If we are to create an industry, the government needs to get it right and it could take many years to form it. Right now we have young people with the right mindset and motivation but there is no environment and neither are they fully equipped.


i disagree the environment is there no need for "tunaomba serikali iingilie kati" cry no absolute need for that. The harsh tough environment is what nurtures innovation example use of limited locally available resources to surmount challenging problems ..that my friend is innovation and will be very competitive globally . IT the field of knowledge technologies such as AI and expert systems is the way to go.
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GGK
#17 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 6:41:38 PM
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Info Technology (IT) and Comm Technology (CT) Converged into ICT.

=> I believe the future looks bright in ICT. With investment in infrastructure, the cost of information transfer will decrease to a level where it is no-longer an issue... then people-centric, service-oriented [preferably mobile based] applications will become readily available.

=> BPO is a good option coz is an export of labor without laborers having leaving the country ..but the issue of expertise will continue to bedevil this endeavor as well as high cost of production.

=> In an economy like ours, the govt will continue to be a major [probably the biggest] consumer of goods and services. The rate at which GoK computerizes its function will have a bearing on extent of ICT permeation to general populace and the growth of the industry as whole. Initiatives like e-government needs to be revamped.

"..I am because we are. "― Ubuntu, Umtu,
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ChessMaster
#18 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 7:12:38 PM
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I'm glad to hear some optimism towards IT and I agree with webish we're just getting started. The potential is great and opportunities many and the good thing is catching up to other nations is a matter of motivation and effort in the younger generation.

wanyee I also believe the environment is prime for innovation. If we can try and utilize IT to start solving our own problems like so many people are trying expertise will definitely develop over time. I'm not so optimistic about AI and expert systems although their deployment could help both government and private sector.

ggk - build the roads and the cars will come. So many of us have seen the fiber optic cables being laid down all over.Its a matter of time before content is developed and applications for business and society to crop up. My bet is on mobile based applications like you. It has become the trend that the consumers propel products that later on corporations adopt and that can work in Kenya if there many developers. And developing for mobile isn't hard it depends on the same skills the pc does with just a few differences hear and there.

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justKiwi
#19 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 7:40:39 PM
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Kwanza tutoe ujinga miongoni mwa wengi. Having decorated papers with markings 'computer packages ms wor..ms powep.. etc' with distinction as grades doesn't make anyone IT professional. We have 1000s good/fair computer users that label themslfs IT profess.. or gurus, all bcoz one can type or hit harder the keyboard, can download and install ready made software and drivers etc.

Tell them also that if you are a professor surrounded by idiots, you are just 1/4 or 1/8 of a profe..

Anyway its good if can have millions of computer literate people so that the gurus can find market of their products.
mengi ni sumu
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ChessMaster
#20 Posted : Tuesday, October 09, 2012 8:35:50 PM
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How is the papers vs skills issue going to get solved?
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